It was utterly unnerving for Jin Xiaolong. Those two Innate Masters—they were retainers he had paid a fortune for. Every day, he arranged for the finest courtesans in the house to attend them, along with endless provisions of fine wine and food, treating them like ancestors. Yet, Jin Xiaolong never regretted the expense, because their combat prowess was terrifying. He recalled when they dealt with a minor sect last time; just one of them had handled over a hundred of the enemy without issue. Such formidable experts, now reduced to dust so easily...

What was this?

In that moment, Jin Xiaolong forgot the immense sums he had spent on the two men. His eyes were wide with pure terror. No one present understood the power of the Innate Masters better than he did. For such mighty figures to be slain so swiftly meant the assailant’s strength was at least Grandmaster level, perhaps even the legendary Great Grandmaster realm...

These were figures capable of founding entire schools! Why would they bother targeting him? He was merely a small-time operator scraping by!

Jin Xiaolong was on the verge of tears. Although martial artists often got entangled in gang disputes, the strongest involved rarely exceeded the level of Warrior. Even a Martial Master would typically abstain from such low-level brawls. Innate Martial Masters, in particular, were revered as enshrined figures. Yet here stood someone at least a Grandmaster, harassing petty individuals like himself. It was absurd!

As Xue Hengzhi slowly advanced toward him, Jin Xiaolong’s body trembled uncontrollably, his face ashen. He yearned to flee, but trapped within the aura exuded by the Great Grandmaster, his limbs refused to obey. The dozen or so thugs behind him were equally pale, chilled to the bone by an icy dread.

Though it was only one man, they felt as if a mountain was pressing down upon them, extinguishing any thought of resistance.

“Boss Jin, why aren’t you at the casino? What brings you out here?” At this juncture, Ye Jingyu stepped forward, placing himself before Xue Hengzhi, and addressed Jin Xiaolong with a smile.

Gazing at Ye Jingyu’s face, more delicate than a woman’s, and his brilliant smile, Jin Xiaolong finally understood that his hundred thousand taels of silver were never returning.

Even now, he couldn't quite accept that this entire encounter was a setup aimed at him. In his small-minded view, he was too insignificant to warrant the attention of such exalted figures.

Perhaps the visitors were simply passing through, choosing his casino for amusement, and he, in his foolishness, had sent retainers to ambush them...

“Heh heh, esteemed Young Master, the casino grows stuffy; I merely stepped out for some air... I truly never expected to run into you here.” Instantly, Jin Xiaolong discerned that Ye Jingyu was Xue Hengzhi’s master. To have an expert, at minimum a Grandmaster, acting as a subordinate meant Ye Jingyu was either immensely powerful himself or the descendant of a major noble house—neither of which was someone like him could afford to offend.

Thus, his demeanor became exceedingly gentle and respectful, terrified of angering the master standing nearby.

“Heh heh, but isn’t Boss Jin here to collect this box?” Ye Jingyu took the case filled with one hundred and ninety thousand in bank notes from Lin Xiaoyi’s hand, smiling broadly.

“Young Master speaks nonsense; this is the winnings you earned. Why would I collect it? I truly was just stretching my legs,” Jin Xiaolong managed, wiping a bead of cold sweat while maintaining his deference. The men behind him stood equally still, daring not to move.

“Heh heh, then were these two not sent by you, Boss Jin?” Ye Jingyu’s smile remained brilliantly fixed as he casually gestured toward the two corpses on the ground.

“No, absolutely not! As you know, for small fry like us, finding Innate Masters to hire is simply impossible,” Jin Xiaolong said, his heart tightening with fear.

“Heh heh, I’m impressed Boss Jin can identify them as Innate Masters just by looking at two corpses. Truly remarkable!” Ye Jingyu laughed loudly.

“Ah!” Jin Xiaolong instantly realized the grave mistake he had just made, and his face shifted dramatically.

“Heh heh, Boss Jin, I only won a little over a hundred thousand taels from you at your establishment, and you immediately plotted murder to silence me! If I hadn’t happened to have a Great Grandmaster by my side, wouldn’t I have been killed by them?” Seeing Jin Xiaolong’s face blanch, Ye Jingyu continued speaking with a cheerful tone.

The moment the words Great Grandmaster were spoken, Jin Xiaolong’s complexion turned utterly ashen. Though his own power was meager, he knew exactly what a Great Grandmaster signified—they were the absolute pinnacle figures of any major sect. To have such a person acting as his bodyguard or enforcer meant this young master’s identity was unfathomably significant.

He had plotted to kill such a distinguished guest? Did he truly not know the meaning of death?

His eyes darted between the distant Ye Jingyu and the motionless Great Grandmaster nearby.

Resistance? Impossible. Against a Great Grandmaster, his small group stood no chance.

Pleading for mercy? He had just planned murder. Given the temperament of these young elites, they would never spare him.

But he truly did not want to die! Fueled by some sudden, desperate surge of courage, as Ye Jingyu walked slowly toward him, Jin Xiaolong suddenly spun around and bolted backward. He refused to die, pushing his speed to its absolute limit.

Yet, though he understood the Great Grandmaster was an insurmountable power, he failed to grasp that escaping the presence of a Great Grandmaster was a fantasy. Even with a dozen men to slow the pursuer...

But what was a Great Grandmaster? They were figures who symbolized an entire school, not someone petty thugs could evade.

Seeing this group flee after Jin Xiaolong, Xue Hengzhi let out a soft snort, suddenly clenched one fist, and drove it forward. A terrifying wave of fist shadow shot out, like a projectile, piercing the hearts of six men simultaneously. All six sprayed blood before collapsing downward.

Xue Hengzhi was about to launch a second punch when Ye Jingyu stopped him. With a slight lift of his hand, the black Heaven-Shaking Seal floated up and slammed down upon the remaining men. Effortlessly, it crushed everyone but Jin Xiaolong into red pulp.

Only Ye Jingyu would use a Profound-grade Soul Artifact to deal with common thugs.

Jin Xiaolong had stopped running. The moment the Heaven-Shaking Seal lifted, Ye Jingyu’s immense psychic power seized his body. He watched, horrifyingly clear, as his own subordinates were smashed into gore beneath the massive iron seal.

Blood sprayed outwards. Pale fragments of flesh and brightly colored internal organs were intertwined into an indistinguishable mass.